Read More

He told the jury: “We thought it would be a fun idea to experiment with sex toys but it was at a time when sex toys were not widely available. You had to go to a sex shop and they weren’t available online.

“It was mutual. It was never one person who pushed it on another. We were on our own in the living room at the time.”

Referring to previous prosecution evidence, Ms Midgley asked if the man had fashioned the carrot into a penis shape.

He replied: “No, a carrot is already sort of penis-shaped.” He also denied the allegation that he inserted the vegetable in her backside.

The man said the couple began experimenting with different types of sex two years into their relationship and said his ex-wife enjoyed it. He denied that he raped her in such a way or that he forced her to drink alcohol before performing the act. He also denied that he forced her to perform oral sex on him.

The case is now in its fourth day at Truro Crown Court

The court heard the man did physically assault his ex-wife on two occasions, the first after she admitted she had kissed his best friend and the best man at their wedding.

He said: “I slapped her. She told me she had tried to kiss him and he refused her. It was like a stab in my heart.” When asked about his behaviour towards her, he added: “It’s awful. I’ve got issues and I am an idiot.”

He rejected the claim that he hit her across the back of the legs with the pole from a stair gate.

Read More

The court heard the couple’s marriage came to an end when she returned from a trip to visit her mother. On her return they began drinking wine and she informed him that she was leaving him. In the violent argument that followed she broke this finger and he was convicted of causing actual bodily harm.

He said: “We were both very drunk. She turned around and said she had met someone and she wanted to call it a day and leave me. I started having a meltdown. Because of the issues from my childhood, every now and again I have these explosions.

“I was going mental at her. She was sat on the sofa and I was shouting at her and name calling. I was pointing at her and she grabbed my finger and pulled it back. I grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up and felt like I threw her to the other side of the room. I told her to get out before I killed her.”

The couple divorced soon afterwards and she moved out, leaving him to bring up their children.

Read More

The court heard how his daughter, when she was a teenager, made comments through her school that her dad had had sex with her and got her pregnant. The matters were referred to social services twice.

The jury also heard that police forensic examinations discovered the daughter’s blood on the man's mattress. Tests also revealed semen and blood as well as the man’s DNA on her mattress.

The man said he would often bring their mattresses downstairs into the living room so they could pretend to be on a camping trip together. They would watch films, eat snacks and all sleep in the same room.

He said it was likely that he had slept on her mattress but never in her bedroom. He added that it was possible her blood may have got on to his mattress from her being careless during her period. He added that she may have been sexually active with boyfriends, which could account for the semen.

Read More

Ms Midgley asked him: “Was her blood on your mattress because you forced yourself on her?”

“No,” he replied.

The barrister added: “Have you had sex with your daughter on any occasion?”

“No,” he said.

He admitted assaulting his daughter when her brother had gone missing. He said she was supposed to have been looking after him and he lost his temper. He slapped her and pulled her hair. It was after this that his daughter left home and he now has no contact with her.

Admitting his mistakes over the historic assaults but denying any sexual abuse, the man said to the jury: “I said I would take whatever punishment is due to me for what I have actually done and I stand by that.”